Junction box



April 15, 1924.

J. P. FLETCHER JUNCTION BOX Filed Sept. 21. 1922 2 Sheets-Shut l April 15, 1924.

J. P. FLETCHER JUNCTION Box 2 Sheets-Shoot 2 Filed Sept. 21, 1922 L; 475% by alt Patented Apr. 15, 1924.

. UNITED STATES JOHN P. FLETCHER, 01 THE UNITED STATES ARMY.

JUNCTION BOX.

Application filed September 21, 1922. Serial 1T0. 589 ,640.

(FILED UNDER THE ACT OF MARCH 3, 1883. 22 STAT. L,, 625.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN P. FLETCHER, major, Medical Corps, United States Army, and resident of Carlisle, in the county of Cumberland and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improve- ,ment in a Junction Box, ofwhich the following description, in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, is a specification. The invention described herein may be used by the Government, or any of its oflicers or employees in prosecution of work for the Government, or y any other person in the United States, without payment of any roythereon.

his invention generically relates to electrical distribution, more particularly it is directed to a new and improved junction box, designed especially for military usage in the One of the rincipal objects of this invention is to pro uce a simple, compact and effective means in the nature of a junction box, to facilitate the distribution of electri- 95 cal energy in military encampments, evacuation hospitals and similar units.

Another important feature of this invention is the production of a device which will materially ex edite utilization of surface 80 cables, in the istribution of electrical energy from the source of supply to point of ultimate consumption.

Another purpose of this invention is to design a junction box of the character specified, accommodating a number of leads and having facilities to enable rapid union of their terminals.

Other objects of this invention are; to provide a junction box affording ready access to its interior, for inspection or other purposes and one which is weather-proof and suitably drained to preclude the possibility of accu-' mulated water, producin a short circuit.

With these and other 0 jects in view, this invention consists in'certain novel details of construction, combination and arrangement of parts to be more fully hereinafter set forth and claimed.

' Briefly stated this invention embodies a housin and hinged cover, the housing and cover aving complemental ortions, functioning when united to pro uce oppositely disposedelbow-shaped cable inlets and exits, a terminal. block located interior of the housing, suitably spaced binding post secured to and arising from the terminal block, an insulating bafile plate intermediate the binding post and means removably connected with the housing to enable its positionment upon a stake or like element.

Referring more particularly to the accompanying drawings in which similar parts are indicated by corresponding reference characters:

Fig, 1 is a sectionized side elevation, partly broken away, of the junction box constituting the subject matter of this invention.

Fig. 2 is a top plan partly broken away, showing cable leads in dotted outline, and

Fig. 3 is an end elevation also partly broken away.

In modern warfare, it is essential to the comfort and convenience of army units in the field, to provide, whenever ossible, electrical energy for lighting and hospital, presents the most difficult problem, owing to its kaleidoscopic nature.

Functionally an evacuation hospital has three activities, sorting, evacuation and hospitalization and according to what is considered the most ideal arrangement embodies approximately 750 beds assembled under 61 hospital ward tents which occupy a site of approximately 600 feet wide by 400 feet deep. In actual service, however, the occasions are few when the evacuation hospital can be assembled pursuant to this ideal arrangement, owing to the difficulty "in securin the proper terrain and because its functlons may vary according to thelocalit When laying out an electrical lighting system for such a hospital two factors are of prime importance namely; flexibility and elasticity, to permit alterations commensurate with the ever changing nature of these units.

With respect to the electrical installation within the tents, this is comparatively simple, the difficult problem, being the delivery of power from its source to the ultimate point of consumption, which may be accomother purposes, and in doing so perhaps the evacuation plished by overhead, surface or underground lines.

Regarding overhead power transmission,

this is objectionable, because of the vast amount of material in the nature of poles, cross arms, insulators etc., which must be ported and would only serve to augment, the already heavy burden of transportation imposed upon the Army in the field.

Underground transmission of power is likewise undesirable owing to the heavy and expensive cables, required, the difficulties attending attachment of distributing leads and the many provisions which must be made to provide suitable insulation for the buried cables.

In view of these objectionable features rendering the overhead and underground system of power transmission unsatisfactory for military purposes, distribution by surface cable has been largely resorted to as the system most practical, economical and best suited to meet the emergency requirements of the field, as the power cable may be laid directly upon the ground, except at points where it crosses the road or is otherwise exposed and at such places it may be laid in easily excavated shallow trenches.

As the system of electrical distribution designed for an evacuation hospital usually functions but once and must be modified to meet the requirement of each hospital unit, it has been found advantageous to divide the power lines into standard units of the most adaptable lengths and to provide at the junction of these units, a junction box from which leads may be taken to any desired oint.

In t e illustrated embodiment characterizing this invention, there is shown a metallic housing (10) apertured at its bottom as at (11) to provide suitable drainage of accumulated water. Central of the housing and in the bottom thereof is formed an annular internally threaded socket (12) for reception. of an externally threaded sleeve (13) adapted to telescopically engage the end of a stake or similar element, which may be driven into the ground at any desired location in the field.

To permit securement of the housing to a wall, ceiling orfloor of a building it is provided with laterally extending lugs (15) apertured as at (16) for the passage of suitable fastening elements. The housing (10) is closed and rendered weather proof by a cover (17 hinged as at (18) and secured in this position by a suitable. locking arrangement such as the hasp (19) and pad lock (20). Cover (17) is formed with a flanged edge (21) which when the cover is in closed position overlies the edge of the housing as clearly shown in Figure 3 of the drawing. I

The cover (17) and housing (10) are formed at their ends with complemental portions (22) which when united constitute curved elbows (22) through which the housing to telescopicall cables pass to and from the binding post (hereinafter mentioned) situated interior of the housin Within the ousing and surmounting the top wall of socket (12) is an insulating block (23) secured in position by fastening elements (24). Arising from this block in parallel and laterally spaced relation are two binding posts (25) adapted to receive the terminals of the cable leads, which are retained in position by wing nuts (26) in threaded engagement with the binding posts, as clearly shown in Figure 2 of the drawing.

Also secured to block (22) intermediate the binding post (25) is a bafiie plate (27) designed to serve as an insulatin wall between the binding posts and leads to pm clude the possibility of short circuiting.

Having described the structural details of this invention, its operations is as follows:

Assuming the cover of the junction box to be in closed relation with respect to the housing, when it is desired to unite two sections of cable, the cover is thrown back, exposing binding post (25), the eyelets of the supply and return leads of each cable section are then positioned upon the binding post, wing nuts (26) screwed down and the union is thus quickly and expeditiously accomplished.

With an arrangement of this character it is apparent that numerous distributin leads may be simultaneously accommodate and connections made with the least possible delay.

In conclusion it will be seen this invention provides a device which materially expedites electrical distribution under emer-' gency conditions and furinshes a simple, compact and efiicient means for systems especially applicable to evacuation hospitals and similar Army units.

Although in the forgoing certain elements have been defined as best adapted to perform the functions allotted to them, nevertheless it is to be understood that various minor changes may be resorted to within the sco e of the appended claims without departing from or sacrificing any of the principles of this invention.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and wish to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A junction box comprising a housing, means in connection with the bottom of the housing to effect its securement to a wall or other flat surface and additional means removably associated with the bottom of the engage the extremity of a stake or li e element.

2. A junction box comprising a terminal housing, a cover hinged thereto, means in connection with the bottom of the housing housing to telescopicall to effect its securement to a wall or other flat surface and additional means removably associated with the bottom of the housing to telescopicall engage the extremity of a stake or 1i e element.

.3. A junction box comprising a housing, means in connection with the bottom of the housing to efiect its securement to a wall or other flat surface and additional means removably associated with the bottom of the engage the extremity ofa stake or ke element, such means including a sleeve removably seated in a socket formed in the bottom of the housing.

4. A junction box comprising a housin anchoring elements extending latera y from the housing to efiect its securement to a wall or other flat surface and additional means removably associated. with the bottom of the housing to telescopically engage the extremit of a stake, such means including a s eeve removably seated in a socket formed in the bottom of the housing.

JOHN P. FLETCHER. 

